Hurricane Katrina Evacuee Rebuilds Using Q-hut

After Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a dangerous category 5 storm in 2005 and significantly devastated residents in New Orleans, evacuees David and Maureen Robert knew they had to make a change.

They needed to move to higher ground and build a home that was strong enough to withstand heavy rain and strong winds. A SteelMaster Quonset Hut-style home was the best choice for their needs. Hurricane Katrina, along with two other storms, left neighborhoods devastated and many of the homes there were either destroyed or submerged in water.

David, who is a helicopter pilot, says he flew over the devastation after the storms and noticed many buildings had been totally demolished by the storm, all except the Quonset Huts.

“I only saw one or two destroyed when something had fallen on them,” says David.

The only type of home David trusted to protect his family was the q-hut.

The structure of the historic q-hut is designed to withstand intense winds and heavy loads. The overlapping panels make it hard for water to leak through and in the 1970s, SteelMaster improved on the original design and made it even stronger. These buildings were initially built for the military in 1941, and now residents are using them for homes and businesses.

SteelMaster’s q-hut style buildings are High-Velocity Hurricane Zone Certified, which means they can withstand horizontal impacts of 100 mph and vertical impacts of 67 mph in accordance with FEMA 320.

The home that the Roberts built is able to sustain winds of up to 150 mph and they say the only way they even know there’s a storm is if the dogs start to bark. David and Maureen bought a 2,000-square-foot Quonset Hut and put it up themselves, according to realtor.com.

The hut has a workshop, one bedroom, a den, and an open kitchen inside. Sadly, after building their amazing home, the Roberts have to sell it and move close to family. This custom q-hut home is on the market in Mississippi.

Would you buy something like this?